It is 6.20am when I catch up with Richard Agufana, an engineer, who is just finishing his workout. He is sweaty and worn out, but composed and charged with the quiet energy of a man who knows his routine and sticks to it.
“I got here by 4.50am,” he says, a grey towel slung over his shoulders. “I am an early bird. I love training early in the morning when there is less traffic at the gym. The gym is also usually empty during that time. It helps me get ahead of my day before the business calls start.”
For someone who is turning 50 next month, it’s remarkable to find that he only survives on one whole meal a day. He grins at my raised eyebrow when I ask how that is even possible.
“Ideally, I eat quality foods that are beneficial to the body; chicken, beef, eggs and vegetables. I also try to avoid milk. I read somewhere that as you age and your digestive tract struggles to break down milk. So I prefer black coffee.”
To him, it’s not just discipline but also simply a lifestyle choice, one born of consistency and intention.
Standing at what appears to be his physical prime, Richard defies the conventional wisdom about ageing.
His lean, muscular frame and confident posture tell a story that extends far beyond the typical mid-life narrative.
As a solar installation engineer who also handles telecommunication infrastructure projects, including tower erections, Richard’s professional life demands physical stamina, a requirement he’s more than equipped to meet, thanks to his disciplined approach to fitness and wellness.
His fitness journey began on the football pitches. “I played a lot of football during my teenage years. I was a good defender and also played as a defensive midfielder,” the Liverpool FC and AFC Leopards die-hard fan reflects, his eyes lighting up with memories of his playing days.
As a defender and midfielder, these positions demanded both tactical awareness and tenacity, as well as physical endurance—so strength and functional training became his routine habits, which have stuck with him to this very day.
But life, as it often does, threw him a curveball. At 28, a fracture to his right leg ended his football career.
“The fracture took six months to heal. It was a bad injury, and that is why I don’t exert so much pressure during leg workouts, so that I don’t trigger something which can be very detrimental at this age,” he tells BDLife at Alpha Fit Gym in Thindigua, where he exercises.
Richard Agufana executes a barbell bicep curl at the gym.
Photo credit: Sinda Matiko | Nation Media Group
My sanctuary
Although Michael returned to casual play, the injury marked the beginning of his transition into gym-based fitness. He still enjoys playing football on Sundays, where he gets to join his peers at the Impala Football Club whenever possible for friendly matches. But the gym has become his true sanctuary.
“Football gave me community, nowadays I play with my age mates at Impala every Sunday. We call it ‘mpira ya wazee’, but the gym gave me consistency.”
The transition from football to gym training was not immediate, but when it came, it was transformative.
Initially, Richard followed the conventional path, hitting the gym between 3pm and 5pm.
But work pressures soon clashed with his schedule. As an engineer, his days are unpredictable. Tower erections, installations, or urgent site visits could easily wipe out his workout window. That’s when he switched to mornings, and he hasn’t looked back.
Engineer Richard Agufana executing a goblet squat with a 20kg sand bag shoulders during his early morning exercise routine at Alpha Fit, Kiambu Road on September 1, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool
He notes how training early not only ensures consistency but also gives him flexibility throughout the day. No more missed workouts due to unexpected client meetings, and no nagging guilt about abandoning his fitness goals for business.
The afternoon schedule created conflicts with client meetings and business opportunities. Switching to morning hours has proven invaluable in Richard’s professional and personal life, offering much-needed flexibility. No longer does he face the dilemma of choosing between a client meeting and his fitness routine.
“When somebody now calls for a business meeting, I can accommodate them without sacrificing my workout.” Another advantage of this switch, he points out, is peace. In the quiet pre-dawn hours, there is no waiting for machines, no distractions—just him and his programme.
He describes it as a purely meditative session, moving from one station to the next without interruption, ticking off his planned sets like a man crossing items off a blueprint.
No music while training
To preserve this sense of meditation, unlike many who work out with earbuds or headphones pumping music into their ears, Richard trains without any electronic devices near his body.
The clanging weights and the stillness of the vast gym hall create an ambience that allows him to reflect on his life choices during each brief pause before taking on the next set.
Perhaps the most striking aspect of Richard’s routine is his approach to food. He practices intermittent fasting, often eating only one main meal a day—a practice that has helped him maintain a lean physique while supporting his active lifestyle.
“Intermittent fasting has really helped me a lot to get lean. I follow the principle of only eating when I feel genuine hunger. I do not subscribe to the notion that you must eat immediately after working out. What if you are not hungry? Of course, our bodies need nourishment after exercise, but they are also conditioned to let us know when they truly require food.”
Richard Agufana catches his breath between sets of the machine shoulder press exercise at Alpha Fit gym.
Photo credit: Sinda Matiko | Nation Media Group
For a 50-year-old, his energy levels are enviable, and he credits this style of eating with keeping his weight steady and his system sharp.
He started intermittent fasting in 2019, when he weighed close to 96 kilogrammes. By experimenting with 16-hour, 18-hour, and eventually 20-hour fasts, he taught his body to adapt.
“I started with a 16:8 protocol—16 hours of fasting with an 8-hour eating window. Then gradually advanced to more challenging schedules—going 18 hours without eating, then even up to 24 hours. To be honest, the body adapts.” With that, his weight dropped to 80 kilos.
No pork, no sugar, no alcohol
Currently, Richard follows a 20:4 fasting schedule, eating within a four-hour window and fasting for 20 hours. He eats his main meal by 8pm, after which he fasts until the next evening.
“I strive not to eat after 8pm,” he says, adding that proper meal timing helps in digestion and sleep quality. A key part of his diet is lean protein sources and fruits, while pork and processed sugars are completely off his menu.
Alcohol, he says, has never been part of his life. He is willing to buy rounds for his friends but will stick to sipping water. Age and experience have taught him the value of caution, especially given his history of leg injury.
“Age is catching up with me, so I cannot go and do the same things I used to do when I was very young, lifting heavy or doing highly intense sessions,” he acknowledges.
That’s why his current routine emphasises joint-friendly exercises and supportive equipment. “I like using machines like the CrossFit trainer because it supports my knees.”
His treadmill workout is limited to about 10 minutes, focusing on maintaining cardiovascular health without overtaxing his previously injured right leg. Weight training remains part of his programme, but with measured intensity. However, that doesn’t stop him from challenging himself.
His biceps can still handle 40 kilogrammes on barbell curls—not to impress anyone, but simply to maintain muscle mass and strength. “I’m not here to break records. I am not aiming for any competition. I am just targeting longevity.”
Richard maintains a disciplined routine of four to five gym sessions per week, complemented by Sundays’ ‘mpira ya wazee’ when possible. Each gym session lasts around two hours.
“Coming to the gym has really helped me improve my confidence. When people look at me, they don’t believe I’m turning 50. Many say I look late 30s or early 40s. Such comments are priceless; they make me proud of myself.”
